Merlin Entertainments, one of the world’s largest attraction operators, recently hosted more than 40 trade partners at an exclusive event in Mumbai to express gratitude and acknowledge their efforts and support in driving and achieving outstanding sales numbers and growth. Leading the event at Merlin were Shannon Bailey, Trade Sales Director, Asia Pacific region, Merlin Entertainments Group, and Gaurav Seth, Head of India Trade Sales, Outbound, Merlin Entertainments Group.
India is a key strategic market for Merlin Entertainments, as it has a balanced mix of traditional group series travellers and the young and vibrant new-age FIT travellers who fit into everything that Merlin has on offer across the world. Merlin realised India’s potential early and has had a presence in the market with an office in the country since 2019. They have started investing in the market by partnering with the travel trade industry here.
MICE business from India is one more big focus segment for Merlin, and Shannon Bailey reflected on this aspect during her speech at the event. Their venues are now used not only as an attraction but are also open to MICE clients, where they host welcome dinners, meetings, gala dinners, etc. Further, they wish to stay invested in the market on a long-term basis and to be in touch with the travel trade across India and increase brand awareness, they continue to partner with the National and State Tourism bodies from across the world via their Sales Missions, trainings, webinars, etc.
As Europe’s No. 1 and the world’s second-largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin operates over 140 attractions, 23 hotels, and 6 holiday villages in 24 countries across 4 continents. Merlin’s purpose is to deliver immersive and memorable experiences to its millions of guests around the world through its iconic brands, multiple attraction formats, and the commitment and passion of its employees. They put all of their energy into creating magical memories for the guests, and with 67 million visitors every year, that’s a lot of unforgettable moments.
Merlin brands are global leaders in location-based family entertainment. They operate across different unique formats, which can be split into two categories: Theme Parks and Midway attractions. Their Theme Parks are larger outdoor venues that can be explored over multiple days and incorporate on-site themed accommodations. These include two Operating Groups: LEGOLAND Parks and Resort Theme Parks.
LEGOLAND® Parks are aimed at families with children aged 3 to 12 looking for an awesome adventure, with rides, shows, and attractions inspired by popular LEGO® and DUPLO® brands. Resort Theme Parks are national brands such as Warwick Castle, Alton Towers Resort, and Gardaland Resort that are aimed at families, teenagers, and young adults, with themed accommodations at all locations. Merlin operates over 120 Midway attractions in more than 20 countries around the world, mostly indoor attractions with chainable brands like Madame Tussauds, London Eye, SEA LIFE aquariums, the Dungeons, LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, etc., offering a wide range of experiences.
